March 20, 2009 -- The House of Juliet, with the legendary balcony where Juliet Capulet is said to have pined for Romeo, will soon be used as a venue for weddings, city officials in Verona have announced. The 13th century family home of the Cappello family who, according to legend, were the Capulets of Shakespeare's tragic play, has been always a place of pilgrimage for lovers from all over the world. The tradition for couples is to first stroke the right breast of the languid bronze statue of Juliet in the courtyard -- the gesture is believed to bring good luck -- then leave love notes on the house's walls and Gothic wooden doors. Now the city wants to strengthen its romantic reputation by offering love-struck couples the chance to tie the knot in the courtyard right below the famous stone balcony. "We are simply promoting Verona's reputation as the city of love," Daniele Polato, the city official who made the proposal, told Discovery News. Related Content:
Not far from other romantic places such as Lake Garda and Venice, Verona aims to become a wedding destination just as popular as Las Vegas. "We are working at various wedding packages that include everything from flower arrangements to hotel accommodation. We plan to be ready in May, a popular wedding month," Polato said. The House of Juliet will be open to weddings each Saturday afternoon, Sunday and Monday mornings. But the privilege of getting hitched in the famous location at No. 23 Via Cappello will come at a price. Under the "Marry Me in Verona" project, a balcony wedding will cost Verona residents 600 euros (about $780). European Union couples will have to pay 200 euros more (about $1,040), while non-EU lovers will have to shell out 1,000 euros ($1,300). "It might seem expensive, but the fee must cover processing documents, and expenses related to city hall staff and their extended hours. More documentation is needed for non-residents and foreign people, that's why there is the price difference," Polato explained. Juliet's house reopened a year ago after a radical clean-up, following a failed attempt to make Juliet go digital, using text messages displayed on a giant screen inside the house. Get More NewsSpiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates.Oldest Hebrew Writing Possibly FoundAncient inscriptions on a 3,000-year-old pottery shard could make history.Rare, Prehistoric-Age Reptile Found in N.Z.A tuatara has been spotted on the New Zealand mainland for the first time in 200 years.Iceman Has No Living RelativesOetzi, the 5,300 year-old frozen mummy, left no living genetic legacy.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.It's Official: People Are Warming the PolesHumans are conclusively to blame for polar warming, say scientists.Eight-Armed Animal Preceded DinosaursWhat may be one of Earth's first animals was no bigger than a coaster and had eight arms.Phoenicians Live on in People's GenesOne in 17 Mediterranean men may be descended from ancient Phoenicians.Pesticides, Fertilizers Linked to Frog DeclineA pesticide is found to promote parasites among amphibians.Hubble Telescope Taking Photos AgainThe Hubble Space Telescope is once again snapping stunning photos of the universe.Andean Mummy Hairs Show Hallucinogen UseScientists find direct evidence of hallucinogenic drug use among ancient Andeans.Opals on Mars Reveal Planet's Long Wet PastOpals found on Mars suggest the planet has been wet for much longer. |
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